The Astronomical Clock
is mounted on the wall of Old Town City Hall in the Old Town Square of Prague.
The clock mechanism is composed of three main components: the astronomical dial,
representing the position of the Sun and Moon in the sky, "The Walk of the
Apostles", an hourly show of figures of the Apostles and other moving
sculptures—notably a figure of Death (represented by a skeleton) striking the
time, and a calendar dial with medallions representing the months.

The
oldest part of the clock and astronomical dial dates back to 1410. It was made
by Mikuláš of Kadan and Jan Šindel. Around 1490, the calendar dial was added and
clock facade decorated with gothic sculptures. In the 17th century moving
statues were added. Figures of the Apostles were added after major repair in
1865-1866.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

El Morro is part of the San Juan National Historical Site. It guards the west end of Old San Juan, PR

Long Description:

Castillo San Felipe
del Morro (El Morro) is called the Gibraltar of the Caribbean. It was build on the western tip of the island that guards the entrance to
San Juan harbor. It, together with Castillo San Cristobal, was part of the
walled city that constituted the third line of defense against enemy entry. The
area within the walled city is now called Old San Juan. The fortifications were
built by the Spanish over a span of 250 years beginning in 1539. Spain
considered Puerto Rico and the port of San Juan to be the key to maintaining
their presence in the New World.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Slater Mill is located
on Roosevelt Avenue at Pawtucket Falls on the Blackstone River in Pawtucket,
Rhode Island.

Long Description:

In 1790, Samuel Slater
opened the first successful textile mill in America, thus Slater Mill is
considered to be the Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. Slater
Mill used water power to operate the newly invented machinery that was used to
spin cotton. Samuel Slater is recognized as the Father of the American Factory
System.

The original portion of the Slater Mill was six bays long and
two storeys tall. Additions were made in 1801, 1835 and between 1869 and 1872.
The Mill was used for the spinning of cotton until 1895. Thereafter, it was used
for various industrial purposes until 1923.

In 1921 the Old Slater Mill
Association, a non-profit organization, was founded with the mission of saving
the historic Mill. Restoration began in 1923 when modern additions to the
structure were removed to return the mill to its appearance in 1835. The Old
Slater Mill Museum opened in 1955 and in 1966 it was listed on the National
Register of Historic Places.

From 1987 to 1990 the United States issued
a series of postage stamps commemorating the bicentennial of the ratification of
the Constitution by the 13 original colonies. Rhode Island was the last colony
to ratify the Constitution and received the last stamp in the series. The image
of the Old Slater Mill as view from across the Blackstone River was chosen for
the design.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Rome's Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous fountains in the world.

Long Description:

The Trevi Fountain is
a large Baroque fountain tucked away in a residential section of Rome. It's 26
meters high and 20 meters wide and marks the terminal point the Acqua Vergine
aqueduct.
The fountain is a wonderful sight by day but really outstanding at night when it is lit up against a darker background.

Originally a simple basin, in 1730 Pope Clement XII organized
a contest to design a new fountain. Eventually, Nicola Salvi was awarded the
commission. Work began in 1732. Salvi incorporated many design elements proposed
by Gian Lorenzo Bernini 100 years earlier. Work continued for 30 years. Nicola
Salvi died in 1751 and the fountain was finished by Giuseppe Pannini in 1762,
when Oceanus, god of all water by Pietro Bracci, the final figure, was placed in
the center. The fountain was cleaned and refurbished in 1998.

A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the Trevi
Fountain, they are destined to return to Rome. You should have your back to the
fountain, hold the coin in your right hand and toss it over your left shoulder.
Of course, it must land cleanly in the basin of the fountain.

Apparently,
based on the popular film Three Coins in the Fountain, several new myths have
been circulated. One has it that two coins will lead to a new romance and three
coins will ensure either a marriage or, more cynically, a divorce. Some,
also, believe you will be blessed with good fortune if you throw three coins
with one's right hand over one's left shoulder, in the aforementioned manner,
into the Trevi Fountain.

An estimated 3,000 euros are thrown into the
fountain each day. Funds are used to help provide food for Rome's needy.

The Basilique du Sacré Cœur (Basilica of the
Sacred Heart) is a Roman Catholic church located at the summit of the Montmartre
area of Paris.

Long Description:

A famous Paris landmark, the Basilique du Sacré Cœuris located on the highest point of the city. This large white
structure is the most noticeable feature when viewing Paris from the Eiffel
Tower. Basilique du Sacré-Cœur was built to atone for the perceived excesses of
the Second Empire and the uprising of the Paris Commune of 1871, as it was built
in the heart of the rebellious neighborhood. It is also dedicated in honor of
the 58,000 who lost their lives during the Franco-Prussian War.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

The Round Stone Barn is the centerpiece of Hancock Shaker Village in Hancock, MA

Long Description:

The Round Stone Barn, is an architecturally and historically significant, exceedingly efficient, and the only Shaker barn of its kind. It is the iconic symbol of the preserved Hancock Shaker Village.

The Round Stone Barn was built in 1826 by this Shaker community in western Massachusetts. The barn has three levels and is 95' in diameter. The barn was rapidly rebuilt after a fire in 1864. Its distinct circular design was born of labor saving necessity. Shakers were famous for there work saving innovations.

The barn has a lower level where the Shakers fed and milked their cows. They also boarded cows from neighboring farms. Fifty-two cows were led into stalls and their heads were secured in place. Hay wagons were driven up a ramp to the second floor and unloaded. Workers dropped hay down into a wooden central storage area and transferred it to the fed bins. A central ventilation shaft removed potentially inflammable gas from the barn. Cows in the bottom level were positioned for the easy removal of their manure. At the bottom level lay the manure pit, accessible by wagon. Eight to 10 wagon teams can drive around inside the barn at the same time. The interior support system is built with chestnut posts.R

Saturday, August 25, 2012

The Bridge of Flowers spans the Deerfield River between the towns of Shelburne and Buckland in western Massachusetts.

Long Description:

Shelburne Falls is a area in western Massachusetts that is equally divided by the Deerfield River beween the towns of Shelburne and Buckland. In 1908 a 400', five arch, concrete trolley bridge was built to connect Buckland to Shelburne. When the trolley line ceased operation in 1928, residents Antoinette and Walter Burnham conceived the idea of transforming the structure into a flower garden.

The Bridge of Flowers is the only one of its kind in the world. It is administered by the Woman's Club's Bridge of Flowers Committee and maintained with donations, memorial gifts and bequests. From early spring until late fall the bridge is ablaze with thousands of colorful annual and perennial blooms. Over 500 varieties of flowers are represented, insuring continuous blooming throughout the spring, summer and fall. The Bridge of Flowers is open daily during daylight hours.

Boldt Castle and its Pump House is located on Heart Island, one of the 1000 Islands in the St. Lawrence River between the United States and Canada.

Long Description:

Beautiful scenery and
millionaire's mansions set on river islands make the 1000 Islands one of the
1,000 places to see before you die. Rocky islands are scattered between the
United States and Canada in the upper part of the St. Lawrence River. Many
islands have homes built on them. They range from tiny summer cottages to huge
millionaire's mansions.

The most opulent of all the mansions and the
biggest draw for tourist is Boldt Castle. The castle was built by George Boldt,
a millionaire manager of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The huge
castle was intended as a gift for his wife Louise Kehrer Boldt. When she
suddenly died, in 1904, construction was halted and George Boldt never visited
the property again. After years of neglect and vandalism, the castle has
undergone major restoration by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority.

One of the most unusual features of Boldt Castle is the Pump House. It is built on its own island connected to Heart Island by a stone arch bridge. It is constructed in the form of a castle and houses the machinery necessary for the maintenance of the island.

Name of Source Book: 1,000 Places To See Before You Die In The United States and CanadaPage Location in Source Book: 204Cost of Admission: $7.00

Thursday, August 23, 2012

The Sultan Ahmet mosque incorporates elements of both Byzantine and Islamic architecture. It is considered to be the last great mosque of the Classical period of Ottoman architecture.

Long Description:

The domes and minarets of the Sultan Ahmet Mosque (better known as the "Blue Mosque") dominate the skyline of Istanbul. In the 17th century, seventeen year old Sultan Ahmet I wished to build an Islamic place of worship that would be even better than the nearby Hagia Sophia. Construction began two years later, in 1609, and took seven years to complete. The mosque was designed by architect Mehmet Aga. Sultan Ahmet died, at age 27, one year after the mosque was complete.

The interior of the
Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque is vast and richly decorated. It contains more than 20,000 mosaic tiles decorating the interior walls and large central dome and the 8 smaller domes. The main dome is most striking of all. It is
surrounded by a course of windows which light up the blue tiles that give the
mosque its common name. Suspended from the dome is a huge chandelier that
illuminates the interior of the mosque.

The Sultan Ahmet
(Blue) Mosque is open everyday, all year around, but is closed to tourists 5 times
a day for short periods for prayer.

The iconic Man At The
Wheel, aka the Gloucester Fisherman Memorial, is located on Western Avenue on
the waterfront in Gloucester.

Long Description:

The sculpture of the Man At The Wheel was commissioned in 1923 for the 300th
anniversary of the founding of the City of Gloucester and to honor Gloucester
fishermen, especially those lost at sea. Funding for the statue came from the
Massachusetts State Legislature and the City of Gloucester. The sculpture was
completed in 1925, two years after the city's 300th anniversary.

A 9' by 5' by 47" figure of a Gloucester fisherman is characteristically
dressed in rain slicker, boots, and hat. He stands with his right hip touching a
ships wheel steering column while his right hand, at 10:30 o'clock, and left
hand, at 3:30 o'clock, grasp the wheel. He stares intently at the sea.
The sculpture was created by Leonard Craske and cast in bronze at the Gorham
Manufacturing Company foundry. It was commisssioned in 1923 and dedicated August
23, 1925.

Wizard Island, an
ancient volcanic cinder cone, rises from the westernmost part of Crater
Lake.

Long Description:

Crater Lake is the
water filled collapsed caldera basin of an extinct volcano, Mount Mazama in the
volcanically active Cascade Mountain Range of western Oregon. Since there are no
streams entering or leaving the lake, the entire volume of water is derived from
rain and melted snow. The average annual precipitation of 66 inches is in
equilibrium with the evaporation and seepage rate maintaining the lake level at
6178 feet above sea level. The lake level has varied over a range of merely 16
feet in the past 100 years.

Crater Lake is known to be the deepest lake
in the United States and the seventh deepest in the world. According to the
United States Geological Service, it has a maximum lake depth of 1,996 feet as
measured by sonar.

The extremely deep blue color of the water, for which
the lake is famous, is due to the clarity of the water due to lack of suspended
sediments. Long wavelengths of light can penetrate quite deeply while only the
shorter, blue wavelengths, are scattered back to a viewer on the rim of the
caldera.

Wizard Island is an ancient cinder cone, a remnant of the
volcano that formed Crater Lake. It is located in the extreme western part of
the lake. Wizard Island is 6,933 feet above sea level at its peak or about 755
feet above the lake. The tree covered cone itself has a smaller crater, the
"Witch's Cauldron" which is about 500 feet wide and 100 feet deep.

The
National Park Service maintains a road - Rim Drive - that follows the top of the
caldera which provides excellent views of Wizard Island and Crater Lake.

The stamp was issued by the United States in 1934 as part of the ten stamp National Parks Series.

Monday, August 20, 2012

This 1958 Brussels World's Fair (Expo '58) building
is gigantic replica of an iron crystal.

Long Description:

The Atomium was build
as one of the temporary structures for the 1958 World's Fair (Expo '58) held in
Brussels, Belgium. It was so popular that it was retained as a permanent
attraction after the close of the fair. It has nine large spheres
inter-connected to form a body centered cubic crystal of iron. The spheres are
connected by tubes which enclose escalators that transport visitors to the
exhibit halls, public spaces, a restaurant, and even a dormitory for visiting
children. This 335 foot tall structure was designed by André Waterkeyn, and
symbolizes the peaceful use of science in the post World War II era.

Lucy the Elephant has
been a famous attraction in Margate, NJ since 1882.

Long Description:

Lucy the Elephant is a
65' high, 60' long, and 18' wide, building made of wood and tin sheeting that
weighs about 90 tons. Construction of this huge elephant structure, by James V.
Lafferty, began in 1881. It was a promotional endeavor to sell real estate and
attract tourism to the area south of Atlantic City, NJ.

Over its long
history Lucy has been used as a hotel, restaurant, business office, cottage, and
tavern. Today, she is a roadside tourist attraction. Visitors can tour inside
Lucy and climb a spiral staircase to reach the observation platform on howdah
perched on Lucy's back.

Lucy the Elephant is located at 9200 Atlantic Avenue, Margate City, New Jersey. She is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Both Ansel Adams and I took a picture of Half Dome from Glacier Point.

Long Description:

Some things don't seem
to change very quickly. Half Dome from Glacier Point looks exactly the same today as it did
when Ansel Adams took this famous black and white photograph in 1947.

Other thing change
drastically. Today you could drive to Glacier Point in relative comfort over a
paved road and snap an instant full color photo using your SLR digital camera or
your even your cell phone camera. In 1947, it would have been an arduous trip to
over more primitive roads to reach the same spot, and you would need to develop
and print a black and white image from a silver-gelatin negative.

Half Dome is at the eastern end of Yosemite National Park. This huge granite
monolith reaches an elevation of 8,842 feet and rises 4,737 feet above the
valley floor. It is made up from a type of granite called plutonic rock. The
missing half is presumed to have fallen off when the Ice Age glaciers passed
through. Some, however, contend that the appearance that half a mountain peak is
missing is largely an illusion. Some of the peak was lost to glaciers but the
mountain retained much of its original pre-glacier form.

In season, May
to November, you can hike the 17 miles to Half Dome and climb the nearly one
mile to the summit. Most however will be content to enjoy the iconic view from
the coordinates at Glacier Point. While Glacier Point is only about 2 miles from
Yosemite Village, its a thirty mile drive along steep curvy roads to reach this
very popular viewpoint. Getting there and back easily takes up half a
day.

At the southeast part
of the island of Antigua the British built a naval base at English Harbor to support the ships that protected their interests in the Caribbean. This naval base is now called Nelson's Dockyards in honor of Admiral Horatio Nelson who was the commander of the naval base during its heyday in the 18th century. To protect the dockyard several military fortifications were build.

At overlooking English Harbour is a strategic site called Shirley Heights, named after General Thomas Shirley, Governor of the Leeward Islands. This area
was once a large military complex, spread out along a ridge, for the defense of
the island. There you will find old barracks buildings, a cemetery, a blockhouse, and the
lookout. From this lookout you can enjoy the exact same view of the harbor as
shown on the 1938 stamp from Antigua.

The slender peninsula jutting out towards you is Fort Berkeley, whose gun emplacements protected the entrance to the naval base. Nelson's Dockyards are to right and the town of English Harbour is located just
below and nestled against the harbor. The Nelson's Dockyards and Fort Berkeley have been restored to their 18th century appearance and the town of English Harbour still retains its earlier charm.

A memorial to the
victims of the Titanic disaster is located in the Oak Grove Cemetery in
Springfield, MA

Long Description:

On the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and in memory of the
1,517 people who died in this maritime disaster, the Titanic Historical Society
has erected a black granite memorial in Springfield's Oak Grove Cemetery. The
monument was conceived by Paul A. Phaneuf, a member of the Titanic Historical
Society, which is has its headquarters in the nearby Indian Orchard section of
Springfield.
The 6' high by 7' long and 2' wide memorial has the image of the Titanic
laser etched on one side. Underneath is inscription:

R.M.S. TITANIC APRIL 15, 1912

The back of the memorial specifically names the two Springfield residents who
died with the sinking of the ship: Milton C. Long and Jane Carr. Milton C. Long
was twenty-nine years old. He was the son and only child of Charles C. Long who
was a judge and former Mayor of Springfield. Jane Carr was a forty-seven year
old immigrant who worked in Springfield and returned home to Ireland in 1909.
She was returning to settle her affairs in the United States before, once again,
returning to Ireland.
The back of the memorial contains the emblem of the Titanic Historical
Society and is inscribed:

In memoriam to all those who sailed on the Royal Mail Steamer
TITANICand Springfield passengers, Milton C. Long and Jane Carron the
100th Anniversary April 15, 1912

May the memory of Titanic be preserved
forever"Nearer, My God, to Thee"

Erected by the Titanic Historical
Society, Inc., Indian Orchard, Massachusetts

The memorial was erected on April 4, 2012 with formal ceremonial dedication
on April 21, 2012. Parking is available on the cemetery roads adjacent to the
monument.

If you enjoy mountains, coastlines, and waterfalls then Geirangerfjord, Norway, arguably, offers the
most spectacular scenery on the planet.

Long Description:

Geiranger is a sleepy
little town at the end of Geirangerfjord. There is only one reason why it's a
Mecca for tourist - the fantastic scenery. The deep blue waters of the fjord are
surrounded on three sides by towering cliffs with waterfalls everywhere you
look. Its a breath-taking sight.

There are two famous lookouts offering
broad vistas. Flydalsjuvet Lookout is easily accessible from route 63, about 4
km from the center of Geiranger south by southeast of Geiranger. From here you
look down on the town of Geiranger across length of the fjord towards the North
Atlantic. The lookout points are on two plateaus, one higher and one lower with
a footpath linking the two. The lookout points have been modernised as part of
the "Nasjonale turistveier" project. The new facilities were officially opened
at a ceremony on 21 June 2006.

Dalsnibba is the other lookout. It is
situated north of town on the famous Eagle's Road (Ornevegen) which itself is an
engineering marvel. Eleven hairpin turns take you up a steep cliff to the
plateau and the viewing area. From the Dalsnibba plateau there is a awe
inspiring view across a most beautiful landscape with Geiranger in the middle
surrounding by mountains with Geirangerfjord right in the middle.

When
you cruise along this 9.3 mile long fjord is seems you can almost reach out and
touch the sheer cliffs on both sides. You pass many waterfalls along the way. So
many that it would be difficult to get pictures of them all. The two most famous
are The Seven Sisters on the east side of the fjord just north of Geiranger and
Bridal Veil Falls a little farther north on the western cliff.

The fjord
is one of Norway's most visited tourist sites and has been listed as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site since 2005.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

The Lion of Lucerne is
a large relief sculpture of a sleeping lion carved into the side of a small
cliff in Lucerne, Zentralschweiz, Switzerland

Long Description:

The Lion Monument
(Löwendenkmal) is often called the Lion of Lucerne. It is a relief sculpture
that was designed by the Danish sculpture Bertel Thorvaldsen and carved by Lukas Ahorn between 1820
and 1821.

On August 10, 1792, members of the Swiss Guard were killed
when revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace in Paris during the French
Revolution. At that time, the Swiss Guard was hired to protect the French
royalty. About 760 members of the Swiss Guard were killed during the fighting or
massacred after surrender. The majority of the Swiss Guard who survived were
away at Normandy at the time. A mournful sculpture of a mortally wounded lion
commemorates their dedication and loss.

The sculpture is carved in what
was once a sandstone quarry. Above the lion is the dedicatation: "Helvetiorum
Fidei ac Virtuti" - ("To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss"). The dying lion
is impaled by a spear. He is leaning on a shield bearing the fleur-de-lis of the
French monarchy and in front of him is a second shield with the Swiss the coat
of arms. The inscription below the sculpture lists the names of the officers,
and approximate numbers of the soldiers who died (DCCLX = 760), and survived
(CCCL = 350).

The Miles Morgan
statue has not changed but what a difference in the buildings surrounding Court
Square in Springfield, MA. Looking north across Court Square there are three new
buildings in the 2011 photo are (from left to right):

Large, bronze sculpture of
Alice and her friends from the Lewis Carroll classic - Alice's Adventures in
Wonderland is located in Central Park in New York City.

Long Description:
The statue of Alice
and some of the characters from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
is located in Central Park just west of 5th Avenue and 76th Street. This bronze
statue was commissioned by George Delacorte as a gift to the children of New
York and placed in Central Park in 1959. The statue was also meant as a tribute
to his late wife, Margarita, who read Alice to their children. Plaques surround
the statue with lines from Carroll's nonsense poem, The Jabberwocky.

The
statue was created by the Spanish-born American sculptor José de Creeft. The
design was taken from illustration by John Tenniel used in the first published
edition of the book. It shows Alice (with the face of Creeft's daughter),
sitting on a mushroom, surrounded by the the March Hare, the Mad Hatter (a
caricature of George Delacorte), the Cheshire Cat, Alice's cat Dinah, and the
Dormouse.

Description: A depiction
of the various characters from "Alice in Wonderland" including Alice and her cat
Dinah, the March Hare, the Mad Hatter, the Dormouse, and the Cheshire Cat. Alice
is seated in the middle on a large mushroom.

Owner:
Administered by City of New York, Department of Parks and Recreation, The
Arsenal - Central Park, New York, New York 10021 Located by Central Park,
Conservatory Pond, New York, New York

Remarks: This piece was
commissioned by George Delacorte and was a gift of the George and Margarita
Delacorte Foundation. The project designer for the piece was Fernando Texidor.
The piece was designed so that children could climb on it.

Two great photo-ops from the same location. The Sólfar (Sun Voyager) Sculpture and Esja Mountain.

Long Description:

One of the most
interesting sights in Reykjavík is the sculpture of a Viking ship, Sólfar (Sun
Voyager) by Jón Gunnar Árn. From nearby, if you look to the northeast over the
bay, on a clear day, you will be treated to this view of Esja Mountain which is about 6 miles north of Reykjavík Harbor.

Esja is a volcanic mountain range with an elevation of about 3000 feet.
It is a popular recreation area for hikers and climbers.

The single stamp
souvenir sheet was issued by Iceland in 2001 to commemorate Stamp Day.

Friday, August 10, 2012

View from the west, the
profile of the Monument to the Discoveries. This monument is located on the
banks of the Tagus River in Santa Maria de Belém section of Lisbon.

Long Description:

Monument to the
Discoveries is aptly placed since early sailors passed through this spot when
they embarked and returned from their voyages of discovery. The Portuguese Age
of Discovery began 1381 when the Portuguese explored the Canary Islands and
continued for two hundred years and reached as far away as Japan. During that
time the Portuguese established colonies in Africa, Asia and South America.

The major impetus for this activity was Prince Henry the Navigator. He
formalized the study of navigation, naval architecture, and astronomy and
developed the powerful ship called the caravel, which contributed to Portuguese
supremacy on the high seas.

The monument was designed by architect José
Ângelo Cottinelli Telmo and sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida as a temporary display
during the Portuguese World Fair in June 1940. It was demolished after the fair
in 1943.

In 1958, construction began on a permanent limestone monument
which was unveiled at its present location in January 1960, to commemorate the
500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator.

Figures visible on
the photograph of the profile are (from left to right):

The Bulfinch Building,
the original building of the Massachusetts General Hospital, is listed in the
National Register of Historic Places.

Long Description:

Massachusetts General
Hospital, one of the world's foremost medical institutions. It was founded in
1799 when a $5,000 bequest was made to establish a hospital in Boston. The
original building was designed by the noted architect Charles Bulfinch. The
building was constructed of Chelmsford granite in the Greek Revival style. It
opened in 1821. The building is still used today, and houses specialized offices
for the hospital.

The dome in the center of the building contains an
operating room and gallery. More than 8,000 operations were performed in this
theater from 1821 to 1868. It was here that ether was first successfully used as
an anesthetic during surgery. This operating room became known as the Ether
Dome. Today the Ether Dome is a medical museum which houses a variety of medical
artifacts and curiosities. The Ether Dome has a separately listing in the
National Register of Historic Places.

The building is symmetrical with
the Ether Dome in the center. Below the dome is the original entrance. A series
of stair lead up to a portico which is surrounded by eight Ionic columns. To the
left and right are the office wings of the building, each having three levels of
windows. The building is located at the end of a landscaped courtyard surrounded
by the newer towering buildings of the Massachusetts General Hospital.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

The Ether Dome is
located in the Bulfinch Building of the Massachusetts General Hospital in
Boston.

Long Description:

The Ether Dome
Amphitheater was the Massachusetts General Hospital's operating room 1821 until
1867. On October 16, 1846, the Boston dentist William Thomas Green Morton was
the first person to use inhaled ether to anesthetize Edward Gilbert Abbott. This
enabled the Dean of the Harvard Medical School, John Collins Warren, to
painlessly removed a tumor from Abbott's neck. Afterwards the patient felt only
as if his neck had been scratched; in contrast to a less than successful attempt
by Horace Wells, the previous year, to use nitrous oxide. Before 1846 this site
was simply called the surgical amphitheater. After 1846 it became known as the
Ether Dome.

Originally, lighting was solely by natural sunlight, hence
the purpose of the copper sheathed dome on the building. The room itself had
seven tiers of wooden amphitheater seating. In 1849, gas lanterns were
introduced to the operating site and late in the 19th century electrical lights
were installed. In 1956 new light fixtures and motorized louvers were added to
the skylight and all the windows were replaced. The dome and cupola are now lit
by a ring of lights at the base of the cupola. The Ether Dome was used as a
storage area until 1873, a dormitory until 1889, a dining room for nurses until
1892, and is now used as a conference room and teaching amphitheater. A statue
of Apollo, casted in the Louvre in Paris, France, decorates the entrance to the
Ether Dome. It was given to the Massachusetts General Hospital in March 1845 by
Edward Everett.

The Bulfinch Building that houses the Ether Dome was
designed by noted architect Charles Bulfinch. Construction began on July 4,
1818. During construction Bulfinch was called upon to the design the Nation’s
Capitol. Construction of the building was completed under the direction of
Alexander Parris. The facility opened in 1821 and between 1821 and 1868 more
than 8,000 operations were performed in the operating room.

The Ether Monument,
also known as the Good Samaritan, is the oldest monument in the Boston Public
Garden, Boston, MA. It commemorates the first use of ether as an anesthetic
during surgery.

Long Description:

The Ether Monument, also known as the Good Samaritan, was commissioned by
Thomas Lee and commemorates the discovery ether and its use as an anesthetic in
surgery performed at Massachusetts General Hospital October 16, 1846. John
Quincy Adams Ward was chosen to be the sculptor and Henry Van Brunt the
architect. The monument was dedicated in the Boston Public Garden on September
26, 1868.

The first public surgery using anesthetic took place at the Massachusetts
General Hospital on October 16, 1846. The Boston dentist William Thomas Green
Morton was the first person to use inhaled ether to anesthetize Edward Gilbert
Abbott. This enabled the Dean of the Harvard Medical School, John Collins
Warren, to painlessly removed a tumor from Abbott's neck. Afterwards the patient
felt only as if his neck had been scratched; in contrast to a less than
successful attempt by Horace Wells, the previous year, to use nitrous oxide.

A 40' tall granite fountain sits in a square granite basin having a brick
floor. A 35' decorative granite and marble column rises from the basin. On the
top of the column is a 6' high sculpture of two figures. A Good Samaritan is
wearing a beard, robe and turban. He has his left arm around the shoulders of an
disrobed, curly haired, unconscious man. The Samaritan is holding a compress to
the torso of the unconscious man. Four bas relief sculptures adorn each side of
the column.
The south relief depicts an operation using anesthesia. The doctors wear a
mix of nineteenth century and classical dress. Below is the
inscription:

On the east side an angel hovers above a suffering man. Below is an
inscription from the Book of Revelation:

NEITHER SHALL THERE BE ANY MORE PAIN REV

On the west side a woman, representing Science, sits on a throne of
laboratory glassware and laboratory apparatus while a Madonna and Child look on
with approval. Above is an inscription from the Book of Isaiah:

THIS ALSO COMETH FORTHFROM THE LORD OF HOSTSWHICH IS
WONDERFULIN COUNSEL,AND EXCELLENTIN WORKING

The southeast corner and a pair of freestanding columns are all that remain of the massive Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens.

Long Description:
The Temple of Olympian Zeus, also known as the Columns of the Olympian Zeus, is a large temple ruin located near the center of Athens. Construction began in the 6th century BCE during Athenian rule and it was completed 638 years later in the 2nd century AD under the rule of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. Upon completion it was the largest temple in Greece.

The temple fell into disuse following a barbarian invasion in the 3rd century AD and fell into ruins. The stone was quarried for building materials. Today a section of connected columns remain on the southeast corner of the site. To the west are two freestanding columns flanking a fallen column.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

This vintage Smokey sign is on display attached to a utility shed at the Hopkington State Park Headqarters, Hopkington, MA.

Long Description:
This old Smokey sign carries the familiar slogan "Remember! Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires". When we spotted this sign on the grounds of the Hopkington State Park Headquarters both my spouse and I recalled the words from the Smokey song from the '50 public service announcements on TV. It went something like this:

Smokey - the Bear, Smokey - the Bear;
A prowlin' and a growlin' and a sniffin' the air;
He can find a fire before it starts to flame;
That is why they call him Smokey;
That is how he got his name.

Three Queens of the
Virgin Islands fountain is located below Blackbeard's Castle in Charlotte Amalie
on St. Thomas Island.

Long Description:
Three former slaves that led a labor revolt in the Danish Virgin Islands, now
the U.S. Virgin Islands, are honored with this fountain located on a hill above
the city of Charlotte Amalie. Bronze sculptures of the women known as Queen
Mary, Queen Agnes and Queen Matilda are subject of this fountain.
The women are shown standing back to back forming a triangle. All three women
are wearing long dresses, aprons and long sleeved blouses. The woman on the left
carries a lantern in her right hand. The central figure holds a harvesting tool
in her right hand and a torch in her left. The woman on the right holds a torch
in her right hand. The stand on in a circular basin surrounded by jets of water.
the fountain is surrounded by a lawn and vegetation. At the south end of the
vegetation there is a bronze plaque with the inscription:

A concrete sculpture of
a cheese press and a plaque honors John Leland and a 1255 pound Cheshire cheese
is located in Cheshire MA. The cheese press commemorates a 1255 pound cheese that was produced in Cheshire and presented to the newly elected President Thomas Jefferson.

Long Description:
John Leland was born on May 14, 1754 in Grafton, MA. As Baptist preacher in
Virginia and Massachusetts, he was a staunch abolitionist and advocate for
religious freedom in the United States. He was an early exponent of the "liberty
of conscience" religious philosophy with regard to public policy and helped get
the First Amendment to the Constitution adopted despite widespread opposition
from his fellow religious leaders. His philosophy can be clearly seen in the
following quote.

"The notion of a Christian commonwealth should be exploded
forever...Government should protect every man in thinking and speaking freely,
and see that one does not abuse another. The liberty I contend for is more than
toleration. The very idea of toleration is despicable; it supposes that some
have a pre-eminence above the rest to grant indulgence, whereas all should be
equally free, Jews, Turks, Pagans and Christians." -
From - A Chronicle of His Time in
Virginia.

A plaque listing his John Leland's accomplishments is located on a sculpture of a cheese
press on the corner of Church and School Streets in the center of Chester. The
plaque is inscribed:

1754 {IMAGE OF JOHN LELAND} 1841

ELDER JOHN
LELAND

ELOQUENT PREACHER BELOVED PASTORINFLUENTIAL PATRIOTFATHER
OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTYWITH JAMES MADISON CARRIED VIRGINIAIN THE
ADOPTION OF THE CONSTITUTIONOF THE UNITED STATES AND THE FIRST
AMENDMENT, DESPITE OPPOSITION OF EVERYOTHER PULPIT IN
MASSACHUSETTSCARRIED EVERY VOTE IN CHESHIRE FOR THEELECTION OF PRESIDENT THOMAS JEFFERSONAND PRESENTED TO HIM ON JAN. 1, 1802
IN THE EAST ROOMOF THE WHITE HOUSE IN THE PRESENCE OF FOREIGNDIPLOMATS,
SUPREME COURT JUDGESAND THE CONGRESSTHE BIG CHESHIRE
CHEESEWEIGHING 1255 LBS.DEDICATED BYTHE SONS OF THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTION1940

Portland Head Light is the first lighthouse built by the United States government, in 1787.

Long Description:

Portland Head Light is the oldest and arguably the most famous and photographed lighthouse in America built by the government. It was constructed at the direction of President George Washington and Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton from a design by Jonathan Bryant and John Nichols in 1787.

This historic lighthouse is located in Cape Elizabeth at the entrance to Casco Bay and is now a part of Fort Williams Park. The light has been upgraded over the years. In 1855, a fourth-order Fresnel lens was installed only to be replaced by a second-order Fresnel lens. That in turn was replaced by an aero beacon in 1958 until a DCB-224 aero beacon was installed in 1991.

Portland Head Light is 80 feet above ground and 101 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. The DCB 224 beacon, rated at 200,000 candlepower, is visible from 24 miles out to sea. The grounds, and keeper's house are owned by the town of Cape Elizabeth, while the beacon, and fog signal are owned and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 24, 1973 (reference #73000121)

Quick Description: The Knotted Gun (aka Non-Violence) sculpture is a memorial to John Lennon and the model for Ringo Starr's design for the Non-Violence Foundation memorial to John Lennon.

Long Description:
After the death of John Lennon at the hands of Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980, Yoko Ono asked his grieving friend, the sculptor Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, to create a tribute to John and his vision and advocacy for a more peaceful and non-violent world as expressed in the lyrics of many of his songs, particularly his 1971 song - Imagine.

"You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I am not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one"

The result was the the famous bronze sculpture “The Knotted Gun” which is now located in the plaza at the entrance to the United Nations Building in New York City.

The Knotted Gun was was originally located at the Strawberry Fields Memorial in Central Park. It is just across the street from the Dakota, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono lived. In 1988, the Knotted Gun was placed outside the United Nations headquarters in New York. At the dedication, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, described the symbolism:

"The sculpture, Non-Violence, has not only endowed the United Nations with a cherished work of art; it has enriched the consciousness of humanity with a powerful symbol that encapsulates, in a few simple curves, the greatest prayer of man; that which asks not for victory, but for peace"

The Knotted Gun has become a worldwide symbol of the non-violence movement. Many replicas of this sculpture can be found around the world, including, the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, at the Waterfront in Cape Town and in the Peace Park in Beijing, China.

More recently the Non-Violence Foundation commissioned former Beatle Ringo Starr to create his own rainbow-colored interpretation of the Knotted Gun to commemorate the 31st anniversary of John Lennon’s murder. The sculpture carries the inscription IMAGINE. The sculpture was unveiled in London in December 2011.

About Me

My interest in travel and exploration took me to all 50 states, much of Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, as well as some of Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico. As I got older my outdoor activities shifted from hiking to orienteering to geocaching to waymarking.